Middletown man faces weapons charge in Manchester

Discovery of a handgun in a car outside a Manchester liquor store lands a Middletown man in handcuffs.

Robert T. Shope, 27, was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun May 20 by members of the Narcotics Enforcement Team during an evening stakeout.

Detectives, suspicions aroused by the car parked outside Ridgeway Liquors, probed further and found reason to believe that a weapon was inside, police said.

They ordered the car towed to headquarters, obtained a search warrant, and seized a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun from the front passenger compartment.

Shope was placed in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River, in default of $50,000 bail. Police did not indicate whether the gun was loaded, or whether ammunition or drugs were found along with it.

The narcotics team was assisted by uniformed officers and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Special Operations Group